First, the transcripts were read several times to establish familiarity with the contents and to outline preliminary categories of description. At this stage the focus was on the meaning embedded in all the texts together. During the analysis this question was kept in mind: what does this statement tell me about how this physician perceives antibiotic prescribing and how he or she considers AR?

2.

All interviews were read again and the preliminary categories were described in words. A loose structure of the logical relation among categories was created. Here, focus was kept on the meaning but also on the structure of meanings.

3.

The interviews were read once again and summaries of each interview were written down. During this reading the focus was on the meaning in each interview but in relation to all texts as a whole.

4.

All summaries were grouped according to similarities and differences and formed into categories, if possible close to the preliminary categories of description. Here the focus was on the preliminary categories. Adjustments were made again and the descriptions of categories were revised.

5.

At this point the analysis was presented to one of the authors who acted as co-reader (MR). In a discussion between the two researchers, the categories were revised once again and the outcome space was established.

AR, antibiotic resistance.

There are different ways to perform a phenomenographic analysis in practice.16 In this study the procedures used have similarities to the analysis described by Prosser.17